Solar power is a viable alternative for many homes. They can be used in areas that do not get a substantial amount of sunlight. There are two main ways that solar power can be used in a home or business and it is up to an individual home or business owner to tell which is right for them. BY using passive or active solar systems it is usually possible for a home or business to substantially lower their energy costs and it may even be possible for them to generate enough heat or energy that they are able to go completely "off-grid".
How these systems work
The main difference is how each of the systems utilizes solar radiation. A passive system uses the orientation of the building and the positioning of windows and other elements in order to capture the sunlight that is naturally present. A home which has a southern orientation and which utilizes high-energy windows and doors can actually reduce their heating bills by as much as 30%. The average energy savings is actually around 10%.
Active systems are more recognizable as they use solar panels to harness the light of the sun. These can be used to either generate electricity or to heat water that is then used in a variety of ways. The benefit to active solar systems is that they are able to capture solar radiation even on days when it is overcast, whereas a passive system may be more dependent on outdoor weather conditions.
Solar water heating VS power generation
Solar systems that generate power are slightly different than those that heat water. With a system designed to generate power, photoelectric cells are powered by sunlight and create an electric charge. This is then stored in batteries and can be harnessed at any time of the night or day, even when the sun is not shining.
A system that is designed to heat water is set up slightly differently. It uses a series of tubes that travel through the solar panel. As the water travels through the panel it is heated by solar radiation and is then stored in a large tank. When the home requires hot water it is pumped into the home where it is able to do its duty. As it cools, it travels back through the system of tubes and is reheated by the solar cell.
Both forms of active solar energy can be used even when sunlight is not strong. All a solar panel needs is to be fairly unobstructed by trees or buildings in order to generate enough power for a home or office.